Free Unleashing the Beast by Lacey Thorn

any chance of it.
    “She’ll be fine. Her two godfathers are both here, as well,” Tah said.
    Abby laughed. “She already has the lot of you wrapped around her finger. You guys spoil her rotten. You don’t have to jump every time she whimpers.”
    “Yes, we do,” Logan retorted. “I’ll slay all the dragons. Every princess has a guard. We’re hers.”
    Laura remembered a time when she was little, maybe six. Logan would have been fourteen. She’d had a nightmare and refused to go back to bed until her dad checked for monsters. Her father had belittled her and ordered her back to bed. She’d gone back upstairs and sat quietly outside her door, crying as softly as she could. Logan had walked over, scooped her up and swung her onto his back. Then he’d gone in and checked every inch of her room. He’d also stayed with her, vowing to slay any dragons that might come after her in her dreams.
    “You were always good at slaying dragons,” she admitted and saw the surprise on his face at her words.
    He didn’t say anything, maybe sensing her chaotic emotions and not wanting to upset this new turn. Gabriel nodded at her, and a smile ghosted across his lips. Her life was such a mess right now. A mate who wasn’t a mate, a brother she wasn’t sure of, a friend she’d wounded earlier with her display of temper. Hell, after what she’d done with Finn, she wouldn’t be surprised if she was asked to leave. She wouldn’t blame them either.
    “Laura,” Tah called her name, and she blinked, realizing Abby, Diane and Gideon had left while she’d been lost in thought.
    “I’m so sorry,” she swore.
    “No one blames you for what happened,” he vowed. “We’re just confused. Finn lost his memory and wasn’t able to tell us anything. You didn’t share because you thought your mate was dead. I imagine you were grieving.”
    She had been. She’d felt broken inside, caring little whether she lived or died, and as Gabriel had mentioned earlier, her actions had shown it. She’d taken huge risks and almost wound up killed. If Gabriel hadn’t come after her, if he’d stayed with Kenzie, Laura would have died. Yet, she’d thrown the fact he’d left his mate in Gabriel’s face earlier. She was a menace.
    “Do you think Finn will ever forgive me?” Laura asked.
    “I think there are a lot of things mates can deal with and still come out okay.” Reno’s mate, Amia, was the one to answer. She rose from her seat and crossed to where Laura stood. “There’s a reason the two of you are fated to be together. Trust in that.”
    Laura nodded, though in all honesty, she wasn’t sure what she trusted anymore.
    “I need to head back into town,” Daniel interrupted. He hugged Laura close, kissing her brow. “You’re going to be okay. Promise. Just hang in there.”
    She nodded, soaking up his warmth.
    “Any more information on those files you found?” Tah asked him.
    “Still looking into them,” Daniel answered, continuing to hold her close. “I’ll let you know as soon as I know anything.”
    “What files?” Laura asked, greedy for a distraction.
    “Ones we came across while going through Dad’s stuff,” Daniel said. “I was planning to show you but haven’t had time yet.”
    Because she’d been a coward. First, she’d hidden from Logan, not wanting to see her brother, much less talk to him. Now, it was Finn.
    “What’s so interesting about them?” she asked.
    “It’ll be easier if you look at them,” Gabriel said. “I’ll bring them over first thing tomorrow. See if you can figure out any of it. Most of it is written in some type of code. Dates, numbers and letters. He had them all in a safe we didn’t even know he had.”
    “They must be important then,” Laura said.
    “We’ll get it figured out,” Daniel said. “You should head home. Have Gabriel walk you over. Get some rest.” He ran his thumb under her eye where she knew the circles had grown darker with each restless night.
    “I